I have a client, call her Carol, who was one of those CEOs who was always running fast. I remember her board told me: “Carol doesn’t really even listen to us. We ask a question, and she just rolls out a response, and then gets on with her own agenda.” That, of course, is consistent with the whole running too fast thing.
Later I began working with another business owner/ CEO who took it to a whole new level. This was the phone in each ear during Thanksgiving dinner kind of busy. In thinking on how to help him, I reached out to Carol.
I said: “You remember what a maniac you were in the beginning?” “Yes”, she agreed. “You’re not like that anymore.” Of course, it was obvious and she agreed. I asked her: “What happened? How did you do that?”
What fell out of Carol is set forth below. This just came straight out without any pause whatsoever. It’s not exactly her process for getting there. More accurately described, it’s what she created once she had changed her inner story.
I took the notes, and we then created the one-page visual from those. It’s not completely self-explanatory, so I’ll take you through it.
1st Row – Clarity. Focus. Decision. This is closely aligned with changing the story. It’s making the decision to be and do differently.
2nd Row – Morning Process. This is a powerful practice that’s way more than overcoming too busy. It’s creating dedicated time to set up your day and more.
3rd Row – Staying in the Clouds were her words exactly. What she means is that she must rise above it. If someone else can do it, they will be. It’s optimizing leverage.
4th Row – Unplugging. Gets back to the reality that busy people run their minds and motors all the time. 95% of that is wasted energy. Overstated only slightly, when you leave the office, forget you even have a job!
5th Row – Traditional Time Management. When people come to me knowing they want to change “too busy”, they often say they need help with “time management”. I’m thinking of using the calendar more effectively and all the things you can read in time management books. Important. The least important driver of creating more by doing less.
Do this: If you’re serious about change in this area of your work and life, sit with this tool. How can you embrace what it has to offer you? What are you willing to do, if your goal is to:
